Warship sinking caused by close-range external explosion: officials

SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- A team of military and private investigators has
tentatively concluded that the mysterious sinking of a South Korean warship last
month was caused by a strong, close-range external explosion rather than a direct
hit, government officials said Sunday.
"An initial inspection of the bow of the Cheonan salvaged Saturday led
investigators to reach a preliminary conclusion that the warship was destroyed by
a non-contact external explosion," a ranking government official said.
"Instead of being directly hit by a torpedo or other underwater weapon, the
Cheonan was affected by a strong explosion that occurred below its bottom at a
close range," the official said, confirming an earlier investigation result
announced shortly after the salvage of the warship's stern 10 days ago.
The Cheonan broke in half and sank on March 26 after an unexplained blast near
the western sea border with North Korea. Forty of the ship's 104 crew members
have been confirmed dead. Six more still remained missing, but the government and
their families have agreed to classify them as dead. The 58 others were rescued
before the vessel sank.
The rear half of the ship was pulled from the sea on April 15. After an initial
examination of the wreckage, investigators said an unidentified "external
explosion" was the most likely cause, bolstering suspicions of North Korea's
involvement, possibly in a torpedo or sea mine attack.
The site is near where the two Koreas fought bloody skirmishes in 1999, 2002 and
last November. North Korea has rejected allegations of its involvement in the
sinking of the Cheonan.
The preliminary investigation result came as the families of the 46 dead sailors
began a five-day mourning period on Sunday. A joint funeral ceremony is scheduled
to take place Thursday at a naval base in Pyeongtaek, about 70 kilometers south
of Seoul.
The Seoul metropolitan government announced it will set up an altar at Seoul
Plaza in the center of the capital Sunday afternoon to allow ordinary citizens to
offer their condolences.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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